The role of heart vegetative nerves in antiarrhythmic effect of β-endorphin in experimental myocardial ischemia

Abstract

Acute experiments on narcotized cats showed that premedication with β-endorphin promotes the development of ventricular tachycardia and decreases the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation caused by myocardial ischemia. The antifibrillatory effect of β-endorphin is related to central nervous structures regulating the function of the cardiovascular system and is mediated through the vagus nerves.